Just like buses ...

Well I haven't blogged for months and now two come along right after each other!!!

Just had to put this on - think I may have had a message from Mum about getting my ass in gear in 2010 (although she wouldn't really have approved of the word 'ass', she would have appreciated the sentiment where I'm concerned!!). Was talking to Anne and Beverley this afternoon about Beverley and I getting together in the new year and trying to set up a website for local crafters and whilst I was putting in my details to receive a newsletter from Create-every-day to spur on my creativity in the new year, at ://creativeeveryday.com/creative-every-day-challenge, I tried to set it up once and did it wrong, but the funny squiggly word that I had to put in (do you know what I mean???) was 'Valiere' and when I looked at it quickly thought it said Valerie ), my mum's name, even though she was known as Val by most people, and the second time I tried to set it up the squiggly word was 'geehaloo' - my maiden name was Gee and haloo is pretty self explanatory!! I said to Ian, do you think that's Mum trying to tell me to get on and actually do something in the new year and not just talk about it - and he said he thought it was too - spooky, but in a nice, positive way I think. Thanks Mum, love you xxxx

Happy New Year to all!

Hi - its been six months since I last blogged and thought tonight would be a good time to put a new post on - Happy New Year to anyone who may look at this.
It's been a strange year, Mum died suddenly the late May bank holiday weekend which none of us expected, she had had some tests that month but things were so much worse than we could have imagined and for Mum's sake (and probably for ours too - despite the awful shock), it was probably for the best - if only we'd had more time to tell her what we wanted to. Dad has done amazingly well considering and I don't really think it has hit me yet, but you just have to get on with things as you can't change anything, much as you may want to. I can't believe that this time last year everything was so different and really want to get on in the new year and start achieving things that I've just thought about in the past as I'm sure that is what mum would have wanted.

Anyway to all of you out there I wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous and creative 2010!!!

Dance Salsa!!

Started Salsa classes on a Sunday night, back in March. http://www.justdance.net/ I go with Anne and Kerry from work, and Beverley, who was already a friend of Anne's that I did my textile course with last year. We've really got into it and have recently moved up into the 'Improvers' class, apart from Kerry who is still in the Beginners as she started after us. We really enjoy it and this Friday we are going to a Salsa workshop being held at our local theatre. We have a class with a professional couple, then they do a show afterwards so it should be a good night. In the summer holidays we will try to go more than one night a week as the classes are held locally at different venues on different nights, but as Anne and Kerry work for Adult Education and have to work some evenings during term time it is difficult for them to go at the moment. We do feel that we would make progress more quickly if we practised more than once a week. The other things is that it is the ethos of the club and probably of Salsa in general that the ladies will also ask the men for dances which comes quite hard to us all, being of similar ages and having that awful fear of rejection - but having said that everyone is always really nice and you know that you wouldnt be turned down unless for a really good reason, but it is still really hard to do and some nights I have more confidence than others, but as the men are usually in shorter supply than the women, you have to be quick off the mark or you won't get many dances, that's not to say that the men don't ask at all because they do. Anne was on fine form this week and was snapping men up as they got off the dance floor and ended up having a good lot of dances. I really must be more assertive this week because as much as I enjoy watching everyone else dancing, it is good to be on the dancefloor yourself!!

If only I had a big one!!

Just read Lou's latest comment on her blog, Ludabelle, it made me laugh and reminded me of an email I got sent by our security guard at work with the title 'If only I had a big one'. In case you don't know, me and my hubby both work at the same college and hubby Ian is a 'Premises Assistant' which is really a posh name for caretaker/maintenance man. One of his many and varied duties is cutting the sports field and I got sent some pics of him which had been caught on the security camera - he's always moaning that the one he uses isn't up to the job and I think this photo shows why he suffers from tractor envy about the one they use at the school next door!!

My cardigan

Mentioned that I was making a crocheted cardigan a couple of posts ago. Thought I'd put a picture on. I've done the back and this is the start of the left front. Don't know how long it will take me to finish, thought I'd run one up in a couple of days (ha ha) and do several in different colours - taking longer than I anticipated, but only picking it up every few days. I'm using wool from years ago that I half knitted a jumper with and never finished - typical of me - but I am determined that this will be finished soon so that I can put it on over a strappy top on those balmy summer nights!!!

Had better sign off for now. Have promised to get some cards done for the girls at work for tomorrow!!

Feltmaking Course

Last Monday evening I started a short five week feltmaking course. We are lucky to have Rachel Reynolds a local textile artist http://rayreynolds.wordpress.com/,who is covering maternity leave in the Art department at the college, teaching it. Last week made three pieces of felt in various shades of the same colour - not sure what I am going to do with them yet, may have a go at making them into jewellery pieces.

Last night I made a bowl. I had made a couple of vases and a small bowl last year for my textile course, but they were a bit too flimsy so wanted to have another go at making one a bit more sturdy. One of the aims of the course was to try and learn different techniques for making pieces and it was interesting watching Rachel demonstrating how to make the bowl as I am not very good at following instructions from books (as much as I love craft books) and find it easier when I am actually shown what to do. I was quite pleased with the result as it is quite firm and enjoyed the two and a half hours indulgence very much!!

Catching up

Can't believe it is so long since I blogged last - have been going through a stage where I haven't even been looking at other people's blogs - don't know why this is I went through a stage like it last year.

Have had a really sad couple of weeks - will write more soon to explain.

Have started crocheting a cardigan, been very therapeutic, will put a pic of it on soon.

Have missed my exchanges with Lou at Ludabelle and will try and get back into the blogging soon.